Powhatan Confederacy

The Powhatan Confederacy (c. 1600-1646) was a confederacy of native American tribes in present-day Virginia and Maryland in the United States. Founded by Chief Powhatan, the confederacy was taken over by Opechancanough after Powhatan's death in 1618 and the confederacy was destroyed in 1646.

History
The Powhatan Confederacy was founded by Chief Powhatan before 1607, a consolidation of several Indian tribes in present-day Virginia and Maryland in the United States. In 1607, they came into contact with colonists from the Kingdom of England under John Smith and they let the English form the settlement of Jamestown. John Smith led the settlement and John Rolfe, an English trader, married Chief Powhatan's daughter Pocahontas. The colonists went through bad times, however, as the "Starving Time" showed - Powhatan attacks on English farms led to the people starving. Rolfe's arrival with more settlers repopulated the colony, but many of them died during the next winter.

By 1618, however, the colony was in full swing. Powhatan died that year and his brother Opechancanough became the new paramount chief of the Powhatan Confederacy. In 1622, the Powhatan began an offensive against the colonists and again in 1644, but both times their warriors fell in great numbers to English musketeers. The Powhatan were defeated and by 1646 they were eradicated.